A MOTHER has agreed to marry a man convicted of “calculated” and “sadistic” assaults against her four-year-old son.

The Salisbury Heights man, 25, who cannot be identified, was found guilty of three counts each of aggravated assault causing harm and aggravated indecent assault over the abuse inflicted between November 2012 and February 2013.

In sentencing today, District Court Judge Wayne Chivell said the charges related to the flicking of the boy’s genitalia, pulling his underwear up forcibly, pulling his ear and bruising his buttocks with a wooden spoon during weekend access visits.

“You behaved in a very specific, calculated, rather unusual and quite sadistic way towards this small child,” he said.

“Your offending constitutes a gross abuse of the trust placed upon you as the partner of his mother.

“He (the boy) was very young, defenceless and indeed blameless.”

He said the man, who had since become engaged to the boy’s mother, was remorseless for his crimes and still blamed the boy’s father rather than take responsibility for his actions.

“By your actions you have caused irreparable damage to the victim’s relationship with his mother whose access has been suspended.”

Judge Chivell said victim impact statements tendered to the court showed the boy had become prone to violent outbursts and other unsociable behaviour since the offending.

He said he was required to weigh general deterrence over personal factors of mitigation when sentencing the man.

Judge Chivell sentenced him to three years’ jail with a non-parole period of two years.

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